What is the Jewish definition and understanding of prophecy? Does prophecy only mean forseeing the future? Does it also entail rightly divining G-d’s thoughts and intentions? Being privy to His insight into the lives or circumstances of others? Properly understanding His Torah?

The Jewish view of prophecy is that it existed during a time in history when G-d wanted to communicate to His People in a prophetic way. He wanted His communication to be directed from a human. That time has ended. We are told that we no longer have the ability to do prophecy. The Talmud tells us that dreams are a method of revelation, but today we do not have the ability to understand them. That applies to all people. Nobody has that power anymore. Our dreams today are mixed together with our subconscious and the revealed information is not clear. When G-d spoke to us in a prophetic way, he did so with Moses in a way that was direct. All other prophets were spoken to in dreams. That is how He made His wishes known.

In terms of G-d’s intentions, the only things that were given to man to know through prophecy were those things that G-d wanted the people to know for their own good. He would make known His will and His “thoughts” when that was applicable, but usually that was not the case. Usually the prophecies were factual in nature and instructive. These prophets had no power to know other people’s thoughts unless G-d had a reason for allowing the prophet to know that. There was never any “divination” or sorcery of any kind from our prophets. You are right in that the whole purpose of information given through a prophet is to get us closer to Torah. After the age of the prophets was over no other person was given that power. It is now up to us build a relationship ourselves. Judaism does not believe in any intermediary at all. Rabbis never hear confession. People confess their own sins to G-d. People pray themselves, nobody else prays for them.

Be Well,
Rabbi Gershon Litt